The Trinity Valley Chamber of Commerce held its monthly membership luncheon on Tuesday, Jan. 13, marking the first meeting of the new year. As the chamber alternates locations between Liberty and Dayton each month, the January luncheon was hosted at the Dayton Community Center. Next month’s meeting – featuring the State of the City of Liberty – will be held at the Liberty Center inside city hall.
This luncheon on Tuesday opened with the swearing-in of new and returning board members, with Liberty County Judge Jay Knight administering the oath of office.
Marcus Goering of Gulf Inland Logistics Park, the title sponsor of the luncheon, was invited to address the packed ballroom. Goering spoke about continued progress at the still-developing industrial park on the west side of Dayton, calling 2025 a strong year for the project.
“We opened up our new 1,000-car rail storage facility, which will expand in 2026,” Goering said, adding that another 1,000 rail cars are planned. “We’ve got new companies coming in already. There will be announcements forthcoming as we move through 2026 – new opportunities for jobs and more people plugged into the community. We’re just very excited about what the future holds for the City of Dayton, for Liberty County and for Gulf Inland Logistics Park. We just want to thank all of you for being here.”
Dayton Mayor Martin Mudd served as the keynote speaker and delivered a wide-ranging State of the City-style address that focused on infrastructure, public safety, economic growth, and quality of life.
“I want to say thank you to all the sponsors that have come out. Thank you to Gulf Inland, to Entergy, to all the various local businesses that support the chamber and support the city of Dayton,” Mudd said. “Without you, none of this would be possible. I can say that unequivocally.”
Mudd also reflected on the passage of time as the city looks ahead.
“So 2026, how many of you can believe I was sitting in my chair and I was thinking, man, I remember as a young adult just hoping that we could get to the year 2000. Here we are in 2026,” he said.
Looking back on the city’s priorities, Mudd said last year’s focus was on laying a foundation for future growth.
“Last year in my state of the city, I spoke about laying foundations in the city, trying to shore up our core infrastructure and our core things and about stabilizing our infrastructure and restoring confidence and positioning Dayton for the growth that we knew everyone in this room knew was coming,” he said. “And today I am proud to stand here and say that these foundations are holding strong.”
Mudd said Dayton’s growth reflects a shift in how the city is viewed.
“Dayton is becoming not just a place that people pass through, it has also become a destination for new families to come,” he said, adding that growth is being pursued in a way that benefits all residents. “We don’t wanna segment one portion of the population, but we want growth for everybody.”
He emphasized community engagement, city staff visibility, and civic pride as central to Dayton’s progress, singling out Dayton ISD Superintendent Dr. Travis Young for his leadership and partnership with students.
Financial stewardship was another major theme of the address. Mudd said the city made a deliberate effort to pursue outside funding to reduce the burden on taxpayers.
“One of the first and foremost primary things I want you to focus on is to go out and try to find the free money,” he said, recalling a conversation with City Manager Derek Woods.
Through grants and state funding, Mudd said Dayton secured millions of dollars in outside funding, including more than $6 million from the General Land Office for sewer rehabilitation and disaster recovery, $750,000 from the Texas Department of Agriculture for the Lovers Lane drainage project, and state funding for police fleet upgrades.
“These funds allowed us to accelerate projects that were once delayed for decades without compromising and begging the people for more tax money,” Mudd said.
Infrastructure improvements in 2025 included a new water well project, addressing what had long been a single-well vulnerability for the city, as well as lift station upgrades to improve sewer reliability. The city also began construction on a new animal shelter and completed road extensions, including the Waco Street extension.
“I don’t want Band-Aid fixes,” Mudd said. “These projects were designed to be long-term fixes.”
Street conditions were a frequent concern raised by residents, he said, prompting the launch of the city’s first phase of street repaving in more than a decade. Roads addressed included Acadia Street, S. Church Street, Hillcrest, Linney Creek Drive, and others, with a second phase already in planning for 2026.
“This is progress that you can simply drive on,” Mudd said.
Quality-of-life improvements were also highlighted, including enhancements at Henderson Day Park, Daniel Park, and a proposed playground upgrade at Parker Park approved by council with help from the Dayton Economic Development Corporation.
Public safety remains a cornerstone of the city’s priorities, with Mudd praising the professionalism of Dayton police officers and firefighters. He highlighted community initiatives such as the Citizens Police Academy, the creation of the Dayton Police Officers Association, and programs like Shop with a Cop.
“Our fire department is not to be left out,” Mudd said, noting the department’s annual toy drive, turkey basket program, and haunted house fundraiser.
Economic development tied closely to Gulf Inland Logistics Park was a focal point of the address. Mudd said the project has already brought more than 400 jobs to Dayton, along with more than $250 million in private investment, positioning the city as a regional logistics and transportation hub.
“Dayton’s location has always been its greatest asset and today it is now a competitive advantage thanks to the introduction of Gulf Inland. With four major highways converging here, expanding rail capacity and proximity to Houston, Dayton is emerging as a regional logistics and transportation hub for this region,” he said. “Nowhere is more evident than that than in Gulf Inland Logistics Park.”
Residential growth is also accelerating, with nearly 19,000 homes being built in the surrounding area and approximately 3,000 homes planned within the city limits. Mudd said development is underway along nearly every major roadway, including Waco Street, FM 1960, US 90, FM 1008, and FM 321.
“Dayton is no longer preparing for growth, but we are doing our best to manage it responsibly,” he said. “The investment we are making today in infrastructure, streets, public safety and quality of life are all for one purpose, for preparing Dayton for what comes next.”
Mudd closed by reflecting on the city’s momentum and future direction.
“From the groundwork laid in 2025 to the momentum we celebrate in 2026, Dayton’s story is one that is being written of resilience, partnership, and promise,” he said. “It is always a great day to be in Dayton, Texas.”
Mudd ended his remarks with a smile, adding, “And I want to say one last thing, go Broncos and go Texans.”
There’s one thing missing from the comments. That Dayton doesn’t have the necessary roads to accommodate all this new traffic. That’s the elephant in the room. All this growth as getting through Dayton is becoming nearly impossible in less than thirty to forty-five minutes. We need something done about the traffic before any new business move in. City council can’t even get DOT to time the lights through town. SMH.